Hair washing apparatus



Nov. l2, 1957 w. J. PARKS HAIR WASHING APPARATUS Filed April 13, 1954 VINVENTOR. l l/l//LSO/V J PAR/(S 4BY 4 @AMW/@JW Arrow/fw f 2,812,519 p ICC 'v Patented Nov. 12, 1957 HAIR WASHING APPARATUS Wilson J. Parks, Palo Alto, Calif.

Application April 13, 1954, Serial No. 422,799

3 Claims. (Cl. 4-159) The present invention relates to a hair washing device, and pertains more particularly to an improved self-draining spray equipped hood for cleansing the hair and scalp.

Various devices have been made in the past for shampooing ones hair while it is enclosed within a head covering device. An arrangement of this general type is shown for example in Patent No. 998,083. Such prior devices, however, have been rather cumbersome and not well adapted for quick, easy use in washing ones own hair.

The present invention contemplates a simple, self-draining water-proof head covering device with controlled spray means mounted therein, and means for controlling the temperature of water and the concentration of cleansing solution admitted thereto.

. A further object of the invention is to provide a hand covering device with cushioned marginal water sealing construction wherein spray heads are mounted for manipulation to direct spray jets discharged therefrom to all parts of the head by means of a simple manipulation of a portion of the head covering device.v

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be brought out more fully in the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. l is a vertical sectional front-to-rear view of a shampooing device embodying the present invention, portions of a drain tube and of a liquid supply hose being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view in reduced scale showing the device of Fig. l ready for use.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through a pressure bulb and hose of the device shown in Fig. 2, the hose being broken away, and a quantity of liquid therein being indicated in broken lines.

Fig. 4 is a substantially similarly enlarged, fragmentary sectional view through one of the spray heads of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2, portions of a water supply hose and of a head covering hood or helmet being broken away. n

Fig. 5 is a side elevationalview of a modified or hard shell form of the device,portions of the helmet and water sealing members being broken away, andthe head and hair outlines of a wearer being'indicated in broken outlines. p

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of a self-sealing Vair intake valve for mounting in the closurecap of the liquid supply bulb shown sectionally in Fig. 3.,

In the flexible hood form of the invention' shown in Figs. l and 2, a head covering helmet 10 ypreferably is molded of ilexible transparent plastic sheet material to fit very loosely over the top portion of the head of a wearer. A resiliently compressible marginal sealing pad 11 of substantial thickness preferably is of foam or sponge rubber. This sealing pad 11 is shaped to tit closely around the marginal zone of the hair growing area of a wearers head, and is sealed to the helmet materialwith a water tight connection. 'Ag covering membrane 12 of rubber or suitable flexible plastic material preferably is provided over the marginal sealing pad 11 to protect the pad from abrasion, and to provide a water tight seal with the skin of the wearer. A drain tube 13 is formed integrally with the helmet 10 to open into the rear of the helmet at a low point thereof. The drain tube 13 is of a length to permit its lower end to be draped into a receptacle such as a lavatory 14 (Fig. 2) of conventional height to permit liquid to drain by gravity from the helmet into such receptacle.

A pair of multiple-jet spray heads 17 and 18 are mounted one in each of a pair of laterally spaced openings 19 (Fig. 4) provided therefor in the upper portion of the helmet 10. Each spray head is gripped in watertight sealing engagement with the helmet by an internally spreaded annular sealing flange 20, which may be of hard plastic material, screwed onto an externally threaded boss 21 which projects upwardly from a housing portion 22 of each spray head. The upper surface of each spray head housing portion 22 is shaped to conform to the lower surfaceof its associated annular sealing flange 20 so that the plastic helmet material marginally around the hole 19 will be gripped in water tight condition between the housing 22 and the annular flange 20.

Threads 23 are provided on the periphery of the housing 22, and a retaining ring 25 is screwed thereon. The ring 25 has an inwardly projecting flange 27 which retains and grips the marginal portion of a perforated spray generating disc 28 seated in a recessed seat 29 provided therefor marginally within the lower rim of each spray head housing 22. Each spray head housing 22 has an upwardly extending neck portion 30 formed coaxially thereon, said neck having an enlarged externally threaded upper end portion 32.

An internally anged ring nut 34 is screwed onto each threaded neck portion 22 releasably to attach each spray head to a hose-connecting elbow fitting 35. A sealing washer 37 (Fig. 4) is mounted between each neck portion 30 and its associated elbow fitting 35 to provide a water-tight connection therebetween. Flexible upper liquid supply hoses 38 and 39, respectively, are tted closely one onto the outer end of each elbow fitting 35. Annular enlargements 40 on each fitting 35 stretch the hoses into sealing relation with their respective littings.

The other ends of the hoses 38 and 39 are connected, respectively, to the two upwardly extending branches 41 and 42 of a cross fitting 43 having a side outlet 44 formed to communicate with the interior of the cross fitting at the intersection of its branches. The side outlet 44 is provided with a terminal flange 45 (Fig. 3) and is connected by a flanged ring nut 47 to the discharge tube 4S of a rubber bulb 49 for feeding cleansing or other desired liquid 50 (Fig. 3) into water flowing through the cross fitting 43.

The tube 48 is formed integrally with a stopper plug 52 mounted with a close press tit in the open end of the bulb 49. A conventional ball check valve 53 is mounted in a recess 54 provided therefor in the lower end of the plug 52 to communicate with the bore of the tube 48. The lower end of the recess 54 is threaded, and a centrally apertured valve seat member 55 is screwed u therein. A light coil valve spring 57 is held in cornpression between a seat 58 formed concentrically with the upper end of the recess 54, and the valve ball 53, to urge the ball to close the central aperture in the seat memportion 63a ofa size to titinto the cap 60 and to rest on the top of the ller neck 61 to be gripped therebetween will be forced inwardly to admit air into the bulb, while when the air pressure within the bulb is greater than it is externally thereof the disc portion 6311 will be forced outwardly into sealing relation with the cap.

By gripping the bulb within the hand as shown in Fig. 2 and collapsing it, the contents of the bulb may be forced 'at a desired rate into the central intersection of the cross fitting 43, where it will mix with any water flowing through the cross fitting, and will be carried through the hoses 38 and 39 to thespray heads 17 and 13 for discharge onto the hair and scalp of the user.

The lower branches 67 and 68 of the cross fitting 43 have connected thereto lower hoses 70 and 71 the other ends of these hoses being formed at 72 and 73, respectively (Fig. 2), for water tight connection to usual hot and cold water faucets 74 and 75 respectively.

The helmet it) preferably is sufiiciently large and fiexible so that when using the device the elbow fittings 35 may be grasped manually, and the spray heads 17 and 18 may be elevated well above the wearers scalp, and thus may be manipulated to direct the water discharged therefrom to all parts of the hair and scalp. Before each use of the device the filler cap 6i) preferably is removed, and the bulb 49 filled with a suitable liquid such as liquid shampoo or, if desired, a medicinal preparation for treating the hair or scalp. By controlling the tiow rate of hot and cold water faucets 74 and 7S the water temperature and iiow rate to the spray heads may be controlled as desired.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 5, the helmet portion S is of rigid material, such as a hard, molded plastic, which preferably is transparent so that the operation of the spray on the hair will be visible through the helmet. The helmet S0 is substantially larger than the head 81 of the wearer so that the spray from a pair of spray heads 82 and 83 mounted therein and indicated in dotted lines in Fig. will cover a substantial area of the scalp of the wearer.

The spray heads 82 and S3 may be similar to the heads 17 and 18 (Figs. l, 2 and 4) and are mounted in laterally spaced relation in the top portion of the helmet 80 in a manner substantially similar to that illustrated in Fig. 4 and described previously herein. Hoses 38, 39, 70 and 71, the cross fitting 43 and bulb 49 are all similar to those illustrated in Fig. 2 and described previously herein. The spray heads 82 and 83 preferably are directed one angularly forwardly and one angulariy rearwardly as indicated by the dot-dash lines 87 and 83 in Fig. 5 which indicate the axes of the spray heads 82 and S3 respectively.

A fiexible drain tube 89 is mounted with its upper end sealed marginally around an opening (not shown) in the rear of the helmet 80.

A resilient sealing pad 90 is provided interiorly of the lower edge of the helmet 84), and is of a size to be compressed sufiiciently when the device is applied to the head of a wearer as shown in Fig. 5 to be pressed into resilient sealing relation with the head 81 of a wearer marginally around the hair zone. in addition to the sealing pad 90 a secondary seal is provided by a band 91 of flexible waterproof material such as plastic sheeting provided with a channel 92 around its lower edge to receive a draw-string 93. By tautening the draw-string 93, the lower marginal edge of this band 91 may be drawn in closely about the head of the wearer to catch any liquid which may seep past the sealing pad 90.V

The manner of use of the modification shown in Fig. 5 will be obvious from the description herein of the use of the device shown in Figs, l and 2.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood however, that various changes and modifications may be made in the details thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and `desire to protect by Letters Patent is defined in the following claims.

l. A helmet for a hair washing apparatus of the type wherein washing solution and rinse water are applied to the hair within a waterproof helmet type head covering having marginal sealing engagement with the face and neck. of a wearer; said helmet comprising a crown portion of substantially larger size than the head of a wearer for whom it isintended, a flexible drain tube opening from the lower rear portion of the helmet, and of a length to reach a drain receptacle at a predetermined height, spray means of limited area mounted in the crown of the helmet for connection by an external flexible liquid supply hose, to a supply of pressurized liquid, and a resilient waterproof pad of substantial thickness and of freely rolling resiliency encircling the rim of the helmet portion and extending inwardly therefrom for compression into sealing engagement with the face and neck of a wearer, thereby to support the crown portion clear of the head of a wearer and with the spray means spaced well up from the crown of a wearer, whereby the helmet portion may be rocked forward and backward and to either side, resiliently deecting the sealing pad, thereby to direct spray from the spray means toward all portions of a wearers hair and scalp located within the flexible pad.

2. A helmet for a hair washing apparatus of the type wherein washing solution and rinse water are applied to the hair within a waterproof helmet having a marginal sealing band, said helmet comprising a loosely fitting, fully flexible, waterproof crown portion of a size and fullness of t to permit elevation of a predetermined top portion thereof a substantial distance above the crown of a wearer, a rigid spray head of relatively small area mounted in the crown of the helmet for connection by an external flexible liquid` supply hose to a supply of pressurized liquid, said spray head being constructed and arranged to direct a plurality of spray jets therefrom inwardly into the hcl met, means on the spray head for grasping it for manipulation, a flexible drain tube extending from a low point of the helmet and of a length to reach from the head of a person wearing the helmet to a receptacle for draining off water from the spray nozzle, and a resilient waterproof sealing band mounted around the rim of the helmet portion for sealing engagement with the face and neck of a wearer beyond the hair zone of the scalp, whereby the means for grasping the spray head may be grasped manually and swung bodily and tilted forward and backward and to either side relative to the sealing band, the fullness and liexibility of the crown portion allowing free manipulation of the spray head by a person grasping the latter to direct spray discharged therefrom to all parts of a wearers hair and scalp located within the flexible scaling band.

3. A helmet for a hair washing apparatus of the type wherein washing solution and rinse water are applied to the hair. within a waterproof helmet of a wearer; said helmet comprising a loosely fitting waterproof crown portion of a size and fullness of fit to position the top portion thereof a substantial distance above the crown of a wearer, spray means of relatively small area mounted in the crown of the helmet for connection to an external flexible liquid supply hose, and constructed and arranged to direct a plurality of spray jets therefrom inwardly into the helmet, means on the spray head for grasping it for manipulation, a flexible drain tube extending from a low point of the helmet and of a length to reach from the head of a person wearing the helmet to a lavatory for draining off water from'the spray nozzle, and a resilient waterproof sealing band mounted around the rim of the helmet References Cited in the le of this patent portion for sealing engagement with the face and neck of UNITED STATES PATENTS a wearer beyond the ha1r zone of .the scalp, whereby the l the crown of ya wearer allowing free movement of the spray means to direct liquid therefrom to al1 parts of a 10 wearers hair and scalp located within the flexible sealing band. 

